Commissioner for Human Rights intervenes over widow's pension delays

The Commissioner for Human Rights (RPO) has intervened regarding significant delays in processing widow's pensions in Poland. Deputy RPO Stanisław Trociuk sent a formal letter to the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy following numerous complaints from seniors waiting months or even over a year for their benefits.

The delays primarily occur when pension authorities, such as the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) and the Agricultural Social Insurance Fund (KRUS), must exchange information to determine the correct combination of benefits. In some analyzed cases, the information exchange between these institutions lasted between 10 and 13 months.

A major point of contention is that despite these lengthy administrative delays, eligible individuals are not receiving interest to compensate for the period they were deprived of their funds. The RPO is calling for a review of current regulations and practices to ensure that citizens do not bear the consequences of organizational inefficiencies within the pension systems.